Approved minutes of the Green Party of Connecticut  SCC   meeting on Monday, March 18, 2013 at 7PM.  

Location:  Portland Senior Center (first floor), 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT  06480

GPCT attendees by chapter: Fairfield: Rolf Maurer, David Bedell, GPCT treasurer and Cora Santaguida. Greater Hartford: Barbara Barry GPCT secretary and S. Michael DeRosa, co-chairperson.

1.  Review and: a) approve minutes of the 2-18-13 SCC meeting and b) accept the minutes of the 3-4-13 EC meeting: deferred to allow more members and/or chapters to arrive, but did not.

2.  Treasurer's report from David Bedell: balance to date of $240.00.

3.  Secretary’s report from Barbara Barry: a) 3-3-13 GPUS endorsed Iowa City, Iowa as site for GPUS July 25-28, 2013 annual meeting; b) 4-4-13 CCSU event about sustainability. These and other event updates have been forwarded to GPCT website.

4. Reports from our five (5) representatives to the GPUS:  no activity at GPUS per attendee, S. Michael DeRosa. Absent: Tim McKee, Jeff Russell, Linda Thompson and Allan Brison.

5. Any proposals/ resolutions from chapters or a group of five (5) CTGP members: none.

6. Updated proposal from the GPCT Bylaws Committee (Ronna Stuller, Barbara Barry, S. Michael DeRosa, Rolf Maurer and Christopher Reillyand Tim Hauser of New London):  is from the March 4, 2013 final GPCT Bylaw Committee meeting which is the last bylaw meeting prior to the April 27, 2013 GPCT Annual Meeting can be seen in Addendum I.  Addendum I was reviewed and discussed by attendees.  Consensus: a) per the 3.4.13 GPCT Bylaw committee meeting attendees, the New London proposals were sent back by the GPCT secretary to chapters and GPCT members for their review and feedback to the Bylaw Committee, EC and SCC for possible further action. b) Will forward the approved proposed bylaws from the last Bylaw Committee meeting of 3-4-13 to the 4-27-13 Green Party Annual Meeting for attendees to discuss and vote on.

7.  Updates from:  a) David Bedell: heis gathering affidavits from 11-6-13 voters for our Presidential write-in candidate, Jill Stein, to present to the Secretary of the State. Reason: either no reporting or suspected underreporting of Jill Stein write-in voting by officials in some towns in CT is suspected. So these voters and the Green Party of Connecticut are questing that the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Committee investigates these concerns about possible violation of voting counting.

b)  CT state representatives, Ed Vargas (Hartford Democrat) and Timothy Bowles(Norwich Democrat), have agreed to support the CT legislative Bill 6098 which was submitted by Representative Bowles.  This bill was referred to the GAE (Government and Elections) Committee around February 1st. This bill reduces the number of petition signatures needed for state-wide office (including for U. S. President) to 5000 valid signatures instead of the presently required 7500 valid signatures.  It also requires that all write-in votes be counted.  The GAE did not vote this bill out of committee to the legislature.

c) Deferred due to time: Other possible agenda items: Social Security and Medicare, healthcare, gun reforms, job development, bringing our 1st responders’ home, Patriot’s Act, women’s rights, alternate energy, etc. 

d) Deferred due to time: volunteers to interact with the CT legislature about specific CTGP concerns.

8.  Discussion about the next GPCT Annual meeting: a) date is Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the Portland Senior Center which will be available from 11am to 5pm on that day; DB volunteered to present the Bylaws at this annual meeting; BAB is developing the agenda and will get a facilitator.

b) Deadline for GPCT members to submit their names and 50 word candidate statements for internal offices:  is by 9:00PM of March 18th 2013 date of the SCC meeting to the GPCT secretary (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).  Candidates may submit larger candidate statements for our GPCT website to David Bedell (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).

c) No candidate’s submissions will be accepted after 9Pm on March 18, 2013. Nor will nominations be accepted at the Annual Meeting.

d) Ballots will be sent to GPCT members by mail. Mailing will include: 50 word candidate statements from each candidate for GPCT internal office i.e. EC officers and five GPCT representatives to the GPUS; donations to GPCT are likely to be requested. Consensus: candidates may provide enhanced statements to David Bedell for placement on our website; deadline for ballots to be mailed back to the GPCT post office box is Friday, April 26, 2013. If our budget allows, candidates for the GPUS national committees may be included in the mailing.

e) Christopher Reilly, Ronna Stuller and Barbara Barry, are preparing the ballot mailing.  

f) Volunteers are requested from at least each chapter and other GPCT individual members to vet attendees at the April 27, 2013 Annual meeting and their ballots. No volunteers have come forward at this meeting.

g) GPCT members are urged to bring: literature for distribution; food to share.

 

9. Deferred due to time: a) Discussion about forming a CTGP Communications Committee.  b) Volunteers to this committee would likely: write press releases; maintain and monitor the CTGP website; maintain and monitor our CTGP twitter site.

10. GPCT fundraiser with speakers: SMD: Jill Stein is available for a June 2, 2013 fundraiser. SMD is seeking a place for her and he is also seeking: Christopher Hedges for another fundraiser. RM: will try to get Mr. Smith for a fundraiser regarding GMOs.

11. Deferred due to time restraints: Reports from CTGP members of the GPUS National Committees.

Ballot Assess (BA): discussion of efforts, difficulties, strategies and  successes of the state Green Parties gaining ballot access.   

S. Michael DeRosa. Absent: William Glickman.  

Eco Action (EA): develop ecological strategies for the GPUS. Absent: Jeffery Russell and Bill Glickman.  

International Committee (IC): develops/promotes GPUS positions regarding world issues.  S. Michael DeRosa. Absent: Hector Lopez and Justine McCabe

Latino Caucus: Absent: Hector Lopez.  

Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines and acquires items for the GPUS.  Rolf Maurer.   

Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world. Absent: Jeffery Russell and Richard Duffee.    

Platform (PC): promotes positions on issues for the GPUS which are consistent with Green Party Ten Key Values.   Absent: William Glickman.

Steering (SC): the seven (7) co-chairpersons of the GPUS which promote GPUS actions and strategies.  

Women’s Caucus: Absent: Linda Thompson.

Current GPUS National Committees that appear to be inactive:  

Accreditation (AC): reviews any state chapter which petitions to join the GPUS; reviews criteria for state delegates to GPUS annual meetings and conventions.

Annual National Meeting (ANMC): working on the  2013 GPUS National Meeting.

Black Caucus:   

Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for the GPUS officers and national committees.  

Coordination Campaign (CCC): distribution of GPUS money to Green Party public office candidates.  

Dispute Resolution (DRC):  mediation of any disputes within the GPUS organization.

Diversity (DC):  strategies and actions to urge/maximize diversity within the GPUS.

Finance (FinCom): review  and determine how to spend the money of the  GPUS organization.

Fundraising (FC): raises money for the GPUS operations.  

Green Party of the US internet news: acquire and write articles for the GPUS website.    

Media Committee (MC): writes GPUS press releases.  

Outreach (OC): interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS.

Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC):  develop strategies to support any GPUS presidential candidates. Absent: Timothy McKee. 

 

12.   Deferred due to time: chapter reports: verbal to the attendees and the written approved minutes to the GPCT secretary:

13.   Date, place and time of our next SCC meeting after the 4-27-13 Annual Meeting will be determined by the Executive Committee elected at our April 27, 2013 annual meeting. 

14.   No other suggestions for this agenda.  

  

GREEN PARTY TEN KEY VALUES: non-violence, respect for diversity, grassroots democracy, social justice and equal opportunity, ecological wisdom, decentralization, community-based economics and economic justice, future focus and sustainability, personal and global responsibility, feminism and gender equality

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